Surrender
by ScottyBgood
Summary: It's graduation, and Tori finds herself celebrating her future, even as the old world ends. High school may be done, but her future is assured, while her sister has also found her way forward. Yet, the drama of the all night party still lingers, and sometimes elements of the past have to be faced. Maybe that's why Jade broke into her home? I don't own the source material.


Just had to publish something. I kinda like this one, so it gets published.

:}

Tori smiled as she approached her home, the house she'd lived in for all her life. Her parents flanked her, fresh off her all night party, and the activities that followed. Now, almost eighteen hours since she' last been home, the Latina was making her way to the door.

"Told you I had more." Trina gloated, smiling at her sister. The elder Vega was a student at UCLA, the same school that Mason Thornesmith had agreed the singer should study at while working on her first album. But while Tori was going to study music theory, Trina was studying fashion.

"Sigh, yes, I believe you now." The younger girl said, hoping to just get home, go to her room, and catch up on the gossip about what had happened at the all night party.

"You walked a runway today, cause I'm every bit as awesome as I told you I was." Trina continued. After failing to get into any school on her singing or dancing, she applied for the fashion degree, because Cat, of all people, recommended she do so. The petite girl was a capable seamstress, copying designs with exacting precision, even adjusting for different body types and sizes. But while Cat was a master sewer, she lacked the ability to create her own designs. But someone else's, that was another story, and Cat had worn a dress based on one of Trina's doodles, leading to comments, leading to someone asking, and then an interview. Trina was granted a spot at UCLA, because they saw her potential. Now the elder girl was finally in her element, creating new fashions and drawing the attention of more and more people in that industry. "The faculty loved it. Maybe, if you're music career fails, you can be a model. I'd use you."

"Cause I came cheap." Tori huffed, even though she wasn't as mad at the free assistance she'd been strong armed into providing as she seemed. 'I mean, sure, it was a student fashion show, part of her class final, but there were actual celebrities in the audience. Plus, while a lot of the clothes were awful, but some of it, like maybe a third of Treen's collection, that was beautiful. Down right close to brilliant. I got to wear this beautiful outfit, something my own sister designed, and walk a runway with people fawning over me. Hell, I was seen as thin and beautiful and special. After graduating, that was another memory I want to hold onto. But, that's done, and Trina gets a decent grade. she'll be finished with the fashion program, working on the business portion of it, in no time.'

The family circled around a few puddles, reminders of the cloudburst that had hit just an hour or so ago. Despite it being June, the wetness caused the night covered ground to shimmer with the light that fought it's way through the darkness. But Tori didn't much care. "Um, Trina, I just, I wanted to check, what did Cat tell you?" She'd avoided this question for the entire time of the party, then Trina's fashion show, avoiding broaching the question up until that moment, because she didn't want to distract her sister from this big event.

"Not much, just that Jade and Beck broke up, and Dad threw Jade in jail." Trina shrugged. 'You thought I'd rush out to throw myself at Beck, didn't you? Well, why would I, when there are gorgeous collage guys who want my number now. And yes, some of them are gay, maybe up to half of them, but that still gives me a good six guys who walked the runway, and would see dating me as a push tot heir careers."

"So glad to hear you've matured so much." Tori said, but inside she felt better. "But to clarify, dad wasn't there as a cop, but a chaperon. Mom and dad were chaperons for the lock in, and it was in that capacity, when Jade got mad, er, madder, that Dad tossed her out of the part. But he didn't arrest her, cause while she was insane with rage, she managed not to hurt anyone. I think it was the no scissors rule that Sikowitz established."

"So she wasn't arrested?" The older girl asked, as their parents, who were walking a few steps behind, both shrugged. "That's not good. We know how she is about revenge, and blaming you. Maybe we should check your room for booby traps."

"Jade's upset, but we're done." Tori told her. "Jade's gone, probably off to whatever collage she decided to head out to, cause with Beck gone, and her parents not giving a flying fudge about her, what reason would she have to stay around here." Tori walked up towards the door. "I mean, her main reason for wanting to attend collage here was that Beck was planning on going to CalArts. Now that he's going to Canada to study with that acting troupe, Jade has nothing holding her here. I'm thinking this'll be the last we see of her for a while."

The door, locked as it had been for the last eighteen hours, clicked open revealing the darkened living room. But in the slim shafts of streetlights that fought their way through the curtains and the closed french doors, a figure was seen sitting on one of the couches. "Um, Dad…?" Tori said.

Moments later, the police officer had pulled his youngest out of the house, stepping in to see what kind of threat was waiting for them. Light flooded the living room, revealing a wet, disheveled Jade West sitting on the couch. "Jade!" David asked as he slowly put his gun back away.

"You left a window open." The pale woman said, not looking at the family so much as the door. "Only had to climb the side of the building, wedge that window open, and crawl in." Briefly, her blue eyes focused on Trina. "I tried not to make a mess, since it was, I guess, your room. I even put towels down so as to mt make a mess on the couch." Her eyes glanced down to the floor. "I kinda got caught in the downpour. I… I didn't know where I wanted to go, except I needed to talk to Tori here."

"The cloudburst was only an hour ago." Trina noted. "So where were you for the last, um, when was she kicked out of the party?"

"Fourteen hours ago, about." Holly said. "So you left the party, wandered a bit, then came here to scale our home and what, talk to Tori? She has a phone."

"She wouldn't take my calls." Jade said. "I.. I spent a lot of time thinking. I..." Tear streaks were evident in what remained of her makeup. New tears seemed primed to follow those already shed as she refused to look at any of the Vega family. "I didn't know where to go. See, ever since I was twelve, I had an identity, and it was attacked to Beck. I knew, every time we broke up, that he'd be back. I just had to hold on, do whatever I could, so he'd love me, and I wouldn't be alone. But, he's gone now, and I had nothing left to do but come here and surrender."

"What did you do?" David asked, slipping into police mode.

"Not to you, silly." For a moment, she didn't look so shattered. Her party dress, the same one she'd been wearing when ejected from the lock in, was filthy, evidence that she'd endured more then just the rain. Her hair was a wold mess, while her body held a shiver as proof that the girl had sat there, wet, for the whole time she'd been here. "I came to surrender to Tori."

"Um what?" Tori tried to make sense of that, but realized she needed more information to understand what the taller girl was saying.

"Beck's gone." Jade's voice was hollow, lost. "I held on, refusing most other opportunities because I knew, one day, we'd be together, and now he's gone."

"He's going to Canada." Trina said, not showing any sympathy. "He's not dead. Only dead to you."

"Trina, hush." David said. He'd circled around, moving cautiously to get closer. He wanted to be sure that the girl wasn't going to be a threat to his family. "Um, Jade, if you don't mind..."

The broken girl stood, her legs still strong enough to hold her weight. Shivering from the cold, she held herself with a dignity that almost surprised Tori. 'I mean, she looks so broken. How can she feel proud of anything.'

"Okay, you're clean." David announced. "And thanks for using the towels. Just, the couch, we had that treated, and those are good towels. Maybe next time you use rags?"

"David, hush." Holly instructed her husband. "The towels are lovely. Jade you were saying?"

"Um, mom?" Tori asked.

"Hurry up, so I can go confirm that my rooms not damaged, and my stuffs all there." Trina barked.

"I only used it as a method of entrance, and I've been here ever since." Jade promised. "Tori, I came to surrender to you, and I've done that. So… if it's okay, I'll be going now."

"No." The father said.

Jade stuck out her wrists, expecting to be arrested.

"Tori, Trina, one of you go find something she can wear." David said before turning to his wife. "Honey Bear, why don't you take her tot he guest bath and help her get cleaned up. We'll get her out of those wet clothes, and then, after once she's ready, she can explain to us what surrendering to Tori means."

The girls moved, with Holly taking the girl to a downstairs room as both sisters raced upstairs to check their rooms. Jade, for her part, only gave the most token of resistances. It felt like she was exhausted, fro the way she moved, and the sad look on her face. But she followed the mother, and soon was showering, hot water washing a great deal of the last day away from her.

Trina was he one to return with something, a sweatsuit of her own design that fit Jade, kinda. But it was clean and warm and dry, giving the goth elements she seemed to have been lacking. "Now then, why not tell me what you meant by surrendering to my daughter?" Holly pushed, but the goth wasn't answering.

David brought the girl soup, watching as his wife helped her eat the meager meal. Then, they led her to the guest room. "You can explain everything tomorrow, okay." He told her. "Now rest. You look exhausted."

By the time Tori and her sister had finished inventorying their rooms, confirming that Jade hadn't taken or damaged anything, said goth was almost asleep. Both sisters wanted answers, but neither expected any. "You know she'll be gone in the morning." Tori said as they made their way back to the living room.

"Yea, but it's okay." Trina told her. "That outfit, it's replaceable. Not even my best work."

"I kinda hope she stays." Their mother commented. "I want her to at least say why she was here."

"To surrender." Trina said, all but mocking the statement.

"Tori, dear, do you have a clue what she meant by surrender?" Holly asked.

"Still have no clue." Tori replied.

"She said she'd built her life around beck." Holly started. "Planned everything based upon the certainty of him and her winding up together. Only, that fight, it was clear they weren't getting back together. So she went off, did a lot f thinking, and came here to talk to you. I think she's ready to let you in. I mean, really let you in."

"So she's ready to be my friend now?" Tori actually felt excited by the prospect.

"She'll settle for friend, but that's not what she wants, or needs." The mother told her. "Baby, she just all but admitted, the only reason she never made a play for you was she had put all her faith in being with Beck. That means..." She held her breath a moment, making sure of the evidence. "Tori, she came to ask you out. She wants to date you, maybe even be with you."

"D-date?" The singer asked. "Mom, she's hated me for a long, long time. She was always picking on me, playing pranks, being mean. Yea, we had our moments, but there's always been this animosity, from her, towards me."

"First, there's always a kernel of truth in any stereotype. I mean, some are further from the truth then others, but you have the origins somewhere, the engineer who looks at his shoes while talking to you, or the nerd. You realize that, there are plenty of football players who should be classified as nerds, to the point where they play computer games, enjoy math, or otherwise would be considered uncool, except they play football, have good social skills, etc. But the stereotypes do exists, and enough people fit them too." Holly explained.

"What stereotype are you talking about?" Trina asked, frowning.

"That sometimes, the bully who's still in the closet picks on their crush." The mother said. "She said it, she married her life, her future, to Beck. So when she felt something, some attraction, she felt bad, blamed herself, then lashed out at the cause." Her eyes shifted to looking at Tori. "You."

"And now that she's broken up with Beck, she's here to ask Tori out?" Trina asked, but the emotion was blunted, shifting.

"Exactly." Their mother exclaimed softly.

"And what am I supposed to do about that?" Tori asked. "I… I'm going to UCLA, and recording my demo album, and, and.. And I'm not gay."

"You're not interested?" David asked. "Then let her down easily, but be honest with her."

"Dad, are you okay with this?" Trina wondered.

"I understand." He sighed. "Look at her. She's beyond devastated. She said it, she's surrendering to her feelings, to what she wants. Not the best cause, cause she had to give up on something she knew wasn't going to work, but now she's free to pursue the one she wants."

"Me?" Tori asked.

"You." Trina repeated. "Um, maybe we should sleep on it. I mean, we're all exhausted, despite you guys getting nap time in, and my staying at the school while finishing my project."

"You were working with Cat, right?" Tori asked.

"Yea, she helped me before she graduated, and then her roommate helped out." Trina said. "Too bad Sam's so short, cause she could have been a good model for me. But, girls short, so I had her model swimwear, and used other models for my show." She flashed a smile. "I had to spend the night where I was doing the last minute stuff, but got it done, and you guys helped me out so much with the show. Heck, Tori, loved how you looked while you were walking down the runway. I said it before, modeling could be another profession for you, if you want."

"You know, I think you're right, we need to get to bed, sleep this off." The younger girl said. "Um, Trina, thanks for the chance to walk down the runway."

"Thanks for being there." The older sister said.

"Too bad Jade was off having her nervous breakdown." Holly said. "I get then feeling you could have used one more model, and she has the look."

"Mom, don't even joke about that." Tori gasped.

"Yea, I could have skipped using Margaret." Trina added, heading back to the stairs. "Girl was a disaster. Jade may be more curvy, but I think that look would have worked great in that outfit."

"Great, you girls talk about all the things you can use Jade for in the morning, okay?" David said. The father then stopped in his tracks as his thoughts caught up with his words. "I meant..."

"We know what you meant, dear." Holly teased her husband. "And for the record, I need to know where you stand on Tori and this girl maybe becoming an item?'

"She's dangerous, willing to take extreme risks for what may be minimal rewards, and seems emotionally fragmented." The police man noted. "So not that thrilled."

"Really?" The mother of two asked. "Darling, I believe Tori could do so much worse. Hell, we both know she has. In fact, I'm not sure when was the last time she did better."

They were almost to their room when David sighed again. "Just, if it does happen, we make sure she gets help, okay?"

"Agreed." Holly said, smiling. "Good night, dear."

Morning brought with it a hazy form of clarity for the Vega clan, as well as a couple of hours of respite as Jade continued to sleep her exhaustion off. Jade, apparently, hadn't slept in almost forty hours when she went to the Vega home, and needed a few more hours of sleep to make up for her deficiency. It gave Tori time to think, as well as debate the best way to deal with Jade's desires.

"So, Jade, you were explaining something to me last night?" The Latina asked as the pale beauty made her way to the kitchen, looking more rested, much more natural, and yet still broken.

"Yea, I think I was surrendering." Jade said with a shrug. "Um do I really need to explain what I meant?"

"I wanna be clear about this." Tori assured the goth.

"Okay, I have feelings for you." Jade wasn't looking at Tori, instead busying herself making coffee. "I hated you for so many reasons, but the biggest one was I wanted you, but I was supposed to be with Beck. So after punishing myself, I did what I could to keep you away."

"You make it sound so casual." The signer griped.

"Yea, cause she can't look at you." Trina said, letting both girls know they had an audience. Holly and David were also there, quietly watching. Holly was holding her phone, possibly even recording the interaction, while her husband looked on with a much more serious eye.

Jade sighed. "Okay, Lets try this again." Her blue eyed locked with Tori's coffee one's. "Tori, I tried everything I could to avoid this moment, to the point where I considered jumping." She smiled a dark, distant smile. "So I climbed up something dangerous, and found myself in Trina's room. Seeing that as the last sign, I came down here, after borrowing a towel, and waited. I… I realized the only way to make everyone happy was for me to stand here, be rejected, so I can move on and rebuild my life."

"Only you don't get off that easily." Tori warned.

"Oh, the joke, the joke." Trina moaned.

The youngest Vega continued. "Jade, I wanted to scream at you, tell you to go to hell. Heck I even wanted to just say no. But when I thought about it, I realized I could use this. See, I need a long term relationship, someone who'll give us time to work things out, see if we have a future. Given our past, the things we've done together, and the fact that last night I had a sex dream about you, I figure I'm gonna take you up on… wait, you haven't asked me out yet. Jame it, you were supposed to ask me out."

"Sex dream?' Jade asked. "If it involved a secluded beach someplace exotic, I think I've had that one."

"You really don't have a filter, do you?" David asked.

"It kept getting clogged up with venom." Jade said with a shrug.

"Then I have a few conditions for you dating my daughter," he stated, "But otherwise, I'm good with this."

"I explained the positives last night, and he's on board." Holly told the girls.

"I don't like it." Trina growled. "Not that it's not a good match, cause Tori, I've suspected you had a thing for miss thang here for a while, but because I really don't think either of you are remotely ready." She sighed. "But if Dad is thinking what I think he is, then go for it. Jade, you do the therapy, and we should be okay. Just, if you're gonna date my sister, understand we help one another."

"Wait, what about school?" Tori asked. "I'm going to UCLA."

"So am I." Jade said, sounding sheepish. "They gave me a good scholarship, and dad will only pay if he gets to choose my major, so..."

"Then it's settled." Holly announced. "Um, Jade, you do realize that Trina's gonna need you to wear some of her designs for her next project, right?"

"Yea, turns out she's an awesome fashion designer." Tori bragged. "So, your coffees ready, then I suggest we find you a suit, and enjoy some pool time. Sky's cleared up, we have a pool, and I feel like that would make a decent first date. You in?"

Jade nodded. "Wait, Trina has a talent?"

"Work on that, okay?" The older girl stated. "And make me some breakfast as I find you something to wear."

Jade groaned. "Relax, and welcome to the family." David said.

"Dad, we're just dating." Tori whined.

"Princess, Jade here's surrendered, so now, I think it's your turn." The father said, moving to sit in the living room and wait for breakfast.

Jade sighed, and walked into the kitchen. 'The price I pay for breaking in...'

:}

Okay, there it is. Just another quick getting together story. Hope you liked it.


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